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www.NFIB.com
For
Immediate Release
Contact: Kelly Hoffman 202-314-2054 or [email protected]
Lauren Horn 202-314-2062 or [email protected]
New York High School Senior Receives National Award
for Entrepreneurial Success
New York Teenager Awarded $15,000
Scholarship
WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 16, 2014 – The National
Federation of Independent Business Young
Entrepreneur Foundation awarded a
high school senior with a $15,000 scholarship for her entrepreneurial
endeavors. At a ceremony in Washington,
D.C., LeiLei Secor of Hagaman, N.Y. was awarded the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Ms. Secor owns and
operates Designed By Lei where she specializes in custom designing and crafting
handmade jewelry. Since 2012, LeiLei has been successfully selling and
marketing her jewelry online while also balancing her academic
responsibilities. She was awarded the $15,000 Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Award to apply toward her tuition at The University of Virginia.
“I am so grateful for
this experience and to be honored as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year,” said Secor. “Throughout this process I
have realized how much work it takes to be a small business owner and it is wonderful
to be recognized with all of the other finalists. NFIB has provided me with a
once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.”
“The Young
Entrepreneur Foundation is honored to award Ms. Secor with the Young
Entrepreneur of the Year Award,” said Molly
Young, Senior Manager of the Young Entrepreneur Foundation. “Her
entrepreneurial accomplishments are impressive, creative, and she is successful
in an extremely competitive market. We
are pleased to be able to be a part of her journey as a business owner, student
and artist. NFIB is proud to congratulate and support LeiLei’s efforts in pursuing
her entrepreneurial and educational dreams.”
NFIB’s
Young Entrepreneur Foundation established its scholarship program to raise
awareness among the nation’s youth about the critical role of private
enterprise and entrepreneurship in growing America’s economy. The foundation selected the top
five nominees and today’s winners
from a nationwide applicant pool of more than 600 students. Award recipients will use the scholarships to attend the
university, college, community college or career institute of their choice. Since
2003, YEF has awarded over 2,500 scholarships worth more than $2.5 million to
graduating high school seniors.
To qualify for an
NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award, students must be seniors in high school who own
and/or operate their own small business. They are required to write an essay
describing their entrepreneurial endeavors and future goals. NFIB members
around the country interviewed the applicants for the Young Entrepreneur
Awards.
**NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos of award recipients
available upon request**
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The NFIB Young
Entrepreneur Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization promoting the importance of
small business and free enterprise to the nation’s youth. More information is
available at www.NFIB.com/YEF. The Foundation is associated with the National
Federation of Independent Business; NFIB is the nation’s leading small business
association, with offices in Washington, D.C. and all 50 state capitals.
Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and
independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that
affect their business. NFIB’s powerful network of grassroots activists sends
their views directly to state and federal lawmakers through our unique
member-only ballot, thus playing a critical role in supporting America’s free
enterprise system.
